By: Whova Team | Last Updated: Feb 17, 2026
An event planner coordinates everything that goes into running an event. Venue booking, catering setup, vendor scheduling, and budget tracking. They make sure the pieces come together so the event happens.
Some planners work in-house for corporations. Others freelance or run planning firms. They are able to handle various types of events such as conferences, product launches, fundraisers, trade shows, weddings.
On event day, they handle the problems that come up. A vendor runs late, equipment doesn’t work, or the schedule shifts. Event planners keep things moving when the plan falls apart.
If you’re hiring one, look at their track record with your type of event. A wedding planner won’t know how to handle a corporate summit. Ask about their vendor network and how they communicate when issues pop up.
For more on what to look for, check out our guide on hiring a corporate event planner.
What Are the Key Responsibilities of an Event Planner?
Event planners have five main responsibilities:
- Planning and strategy: Developing the event concept, setting objectives, creating budgets, and mapping out detailed timelines that account for every moving part
- Vendor management: Selecting and coordinating caterers, photographers, AV technicians, florists, and rental companies while negotiating contracts.
- Logistics coordination: Managing registration systems, arranging transportation and accommodations, ordering signage, and handling all event logistics
- Marketing and promotion: Building awareness, driving registrations, and managing social media campaigns to fill seats
- Event execution: Running the show on event day, managing staff, and solving problems as they emerge
Most disasters happen because of weak preparation. Good planning strategies from good event planners can catch problems before they become crises.
What Skills Are Required to Be an Event Planner?
The job requires a mix of practical and interpersonal abilities.
- Organizational skills: Planners juggle overlapping timelines, vendor contracts, registration systems, and hundreds of other details that need tracking.
- Communication: Negotiating rates with suppliers takes finesse. Clients need regular updates on progress. Coordination with staff and venues keeps everyone aligned.
- Budget management: Catering costs jump unexpectedly. Venues add surprise fees. Allocating funds and adjusting when numbers shift is constant work.
- Problem-solving: Vendors cancel. Weather changes plans. Having backup options and pivoting quickly saves events.
- Technical skills: Using registration platforms, attendee tracking systems, and event management tools effectively can reduce the workload on tasks that would take hours manually.
Tip: Using an easy to use event management platform might require less technical expertise but still provide powerful event managing tools.
See our event planning resources for more.